Old Bob's birthday declared a Zimbabwe holiday

OUT OF FAVOUR: Former Zimbabwe finance minister Ignatius Chombo arrives at court to face corruption charges in HararePicture: Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters

Zimbabwe has made former president Robert Mugabe's birthday a public holiday, a state daily reported yesterday.

"It is hereby declared that February 21 of every year henceforth shall be a public holiday to be known as the Robert Mugabe National Youth Day," The Herald newspaper reported.

The move follows intense lobbying by Zanu-PF's youth league, and comes nearly a week after the long-time ruler stepped down from power.

Mugabe's 37-year tenure withstood repeated claims of hanging on to his position through brutal repression of dissent, election rigging and corruption, until pressure from the military finally forced him to quit.

The declaration of his birthday as a holiday is the latest of many accolades.

Zimbabwe's school of intelligence was named after him while a $1-billion Robert Mugabe university is also in the works.

Several buildings and roads across the country are also named after him.